The Sphinx and the Pyramid of Khufu |
The job of the stonemason has lasted ever since the
beginning of civilization and is another example of the job that have. Most of
the great monuments of antiquity were all built using the stonemason’s craft, and this is
gone on throughout history starting with the earliest. Pyramid’s of
Egypt to the newest most modern skyscrapers in the world.
The stonemason's work can be found on every continent except perhaps Antarctica .
In practice the stonemason's craft is shaping rough pieces
of building stone into highly accurate geometric shapes that are mostly simple
but there are some that are considerably complex. When the stonemason has
finished shaping the stone he has to then arrange the stones with mortar to
form buildings and other structures.
There are several different kinds of work involved in the
stonemasonry trade. A quarrymen is the one who splits the rock from bedrock and
extracts the resulting blocks of stone from the quarry. A Sawyer is one who
cuts the rough blocks of stone into squared blocks using a diamond
tipped saw. A banker mason is one who is working in a shop their specialty
is working the stones into the intricate shapes required for a buildings
design. In effect the banker mason is a form of sculptor. Even closer to a
sculptor is a Stone Carver they use their artistic ability to carve foliage,
figurines, animals or other abstract designs into the stone. The fixer are
masons specializing in fixing the stones into buildings and other structures
using various kinds of lifting tackle along with the traditional lime mortars
and grouts.
At times modern cements are made use of including mastics,
epoxy resins are sometimes used in place of the traditional mortar and grout.
These modern cements are usually used on applications as stone cladding,
sticking a stone panel onto a wall. He also uses metal fixings their range from
simple dowels and cramps to specialized single application fixings. This is a
job requiring precision making this a highly skilled and paid job.
The last job that is found in the stonemasonry trade is that
of the Memorial mason, or monumental mason who specializes in the art of
forming and carving gravestones and inscriptions on other stones.
Today's stonemason has to undergo considerable training both
in the classroom and on the job site. In this trade hands-on skill is required
knowing the into the properties of each stone used, in its application or the
best places for use. The level of knowledge has to include how to cut the stone
and fix it in place. For he also has to carry out one or all the various
branches found in stonemasonry. Some stonemasons specialize in one part of the
craft, others work are crossed a broad spectrum of jobs in the field.
Stonemasonry is a highly paid craft that is much in demand.
References:
Stonemasonry, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stonemasonry
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